


Warrior Queen

by sarcasticstar



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: #1 friends, A little angst, Archie is a real one, Archie is dumb, Betty don't need no help, But also not, Cheryl Blossom & Betty Cooper Friendship, Cheryl is a supportive cousin, F/F, F/M, Fangs is still a sweetheart, Fluff and Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Jughead Jones is Not Asexual, Jughead and Toni bro and sis bond, Jughead is a soft killing machine, Kevin is emotional support, Maybe - Freeform, She is a warrior, Some Fluff, Sweetpea helps veronica, Sweets is sweet, Toni is a queen, Veronica doesn't need her daddy, Veronica is not an early riser, and I love them as FRIENDS, bughead - Freeform, but also a killing machine, but like, but we love him, choni, closeted cheryl, enjoy, for some reason, he isn't a killer, hehe, helps, if this progesses, jughead is actually kind of smooth, more normal tags may come, oof, she does like Jug tho, she is very lesbian, smitten Betty, they besties, they grow up throughout, toni is FP's neice, we STAN, woop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:10:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasticstar/pseuds/sarcasticstar
Summary: Lady Elizabeth has been missing for 5 years, the king is worried about his fragile daughter. King Halford is now sending an army off to find her. But what if Elizabeth doesn't want to leave. She much prefers warpaint over a crown.An AU that was from a prompt I saw. All relationships are in this, but bughead is the main one.





	1. Chapter 1

It was the morning of Lady Coopers 13th birthday. The sun was just beginning to rise and the youngest Cooper did the same as she always had. Walking out to her balcony and watching the sunrise. It was her favorite part of the day and her second included the sunset. Her eyes dreamily watched the sun cast amorous shades across the sky. The least stressful part of her day. No one needed her. She was free of all responsibilities.

Much to her mother's discretion, she never went out with guards. It was too early for those men who were always drained from sleepless nights. She never believed anything would happen until now. Until a dark shadow was cast on her small balcony. Her eyes grew from the sight. 

A man around her father's age was standing by her. He had cuts and bruises all along his face and arms. She wanted to scream but was frozen still. He quickly moved closer and before she could process anything she was asleep. 

When she awoke there was the man who captured her and three other kids who seemed to be her age. She could now fully make out the mans face. He had intense brown eyes and black hair with streaks of gray. He was skinnier than her father, but he also seemed more masculine.

A boy to his left looked almost exactly like him. He was definitely the man's son. He had the same jet black hair but without the streaks of age. He was lean and had room to grow some muscle. The thing Elizabeth couldn't get over was his breathtaking blue eyes. They were staring right into her forest-green eyes. If his stare was supposed to be intimidating it was working, but she couldn't help but want to see his eyes when he loved something besides despising it. 

Two girls stood beside him. One with light brown eyes and hair, but at the ends, it turned to faded pink strands. The girl beside her looked familiar, even in Elizabeth's haze. She had fiery red strands flowing down her shoulders. Betty looked into her eyes. Realization hitting her quicker than her kingdoms royal hound dogs. 

“Cousin Cheryl?” Cheryl moved closer to her cousin making the three others shift to give her room. Her cousin had gone missing for nearly 3 months. Was she here with her kidnappers this whole time? Elizabeth was just happy her cousin was still alive. 

“What… Why am I here? Why are we here?” Elizabeth thought for a moment if her voice was trembling or not. Her mind seemed to be racing so much it never thought to steady her voice like her mother taught her to. 

  
  


“Hush hush, Cousin. You are safe here.” Cheryl’s dainty hands began to stroke Elizabeth’s hair. Elizabeth noticed she had calluses along her hands. Princesses were never allowed to do manual work. What had they done to her cousin? 

Elizabeth’s body lifted from the smooth bed. She felt the young boys eyes still on her. She took in a staggering breath and looked at the four people. 

“Where am I? And who are you, people?” 

“You are in a safe place and for us Ms.Cooper, We are a band of people fighting against the Kings new laws, better known as the Serpents." The older man said. Elizabeth's mind bolted with ideas of her father being a bad man. He was kind to her, but maybe there was a reason why she was never allowed to go to the village. This was insane. Her father was a good man. What laws could he make that would make a kidnappers home safer than her own? 

"You are all deranged! Let me go at once! I am your princess!" Elizabeth began to feel her hands dig into the raw skin of her palms. Cheryl's rough hands found Elizabeths. 

"Please, Cousin! Remeber on your 11th birthday. We snuck out and saw all of the twisted lies in town! It's only become worse since then." Cheryl was now clinging to Elizabeth. What was she to do? Her mind went back to that ghastly day. 

_The two small girls giggled as they walked around the vivacious village. It was all Elizabeth ever dreamed about seeing. So many novels and stories. Her arms ached from carrying all the books and goodies she had collected. Cheryl had even bought a beautiful quartz ring._   


_"Oh, Beth! This is the most wonderful day ever! Mother was wrong about town. It truly is magical!" Cheryl beamed with a childlike innocence that would soon be stolen from her. She hummed a soft tune from the recent play they saw around luncheon. Elizabeth hummed the harmony and they burst into a laughing fit once they finished._

_"We should do this all the time!" Cheryl nodded her head passionately. The two girls began to walk farther into town. They wanted to see as much as possible before they were to go back to their joined castle._

_Suddenly a loud scream ripped through the air. The two girls looked away from the many shops to their sides and looked forward. A woman was being dragged from the ground to a wooden contraption with a rope hanging from the middle._

_"Cousin! They are going to kill her!" Elizabeth trained her eyes on the sobbing woman. This couldn't be. Her father wouldn't allow it. He was a good man. Wasn't he? Cheryl twisted their bodies violently when they dropped the woman. But they could still hear the ear-splitting scream that was the last sound before the woman took her final breath._

_They walked back to the palace after that. In silence, they watched the bright town slowly disappear. Was this town one big lie? Were these people used to watching their friends die? The children's minds thought of all these questions until Cheryl's voice broke the silence._

_"Our mothers are going to scold us into the ground." Elizabeth let out a small laugh._

_"Either that or their stares will kill us and we'll never even get a huge lesson." The two giggled and continued to talk about their mothers. Trying their hardest to forget about what would haunt their memories for the next few years._

"You all...You are all against my Father and the Duke?" Cheryl nodded as she still clung to Elizabeth. 

"Cousin, our Fathers, they are bad men. Even against Mothers wishes, I went back out and it...it was just dreadful. I met Juggie and TT. They let me leave the wretchedness that was our begetters. We can help you learn to fight, Beth, please. I can't lose the only person who I love in that inhumane palace." 

Cheryl hid her face in Elizabeth's neck. One or two tears flowed down the duchesses face. Elizabeth looked at the others. 

"I'll join you, but please inform me of the other misconceptions I had of my father." A smile formed on the oldest man's face. It was the kind of smile a proud father had when his child had achieved something and they couldn't contain their pride. 

"Yes, Ms. Elizabeth. I'm Forsythe, but you may call me F.P. My son is as well Forsythe, but everyone calls him Jughead and then my niece, Toni." The two children smiled warily and nodded along with him. Jughead seemed he still couldn't smile, but his gaze did soften upon seeing Cheryl's love for Elizabeth. A small step to see him smile was still a step in her book. 

"Well, you must go and meet everyone. I sadly have to part due to a meeting, but I'm sure my family can show you the ropes." F.P left the light brown room. I looked around it seemed like a simple village room. Two bunk beds being the exception. There was a vanity and a bathroom, that seemed to be about it. 

"These are the common rooms. Typically people share with either family or people close in age and same gender. You will be sharing with V, Cher, and I." I nodded pretending I knew who 'V' was. We walked out of the room and were met with a beautiful town. It had a huge opening in the middle full of people training. Swords and arrows were being sliced through the air. It was such a captivating sight Elizabeth never even noticed the background. 

Normal log cabins were scattered around, but what was ahead was the true prize. They were in a thick forest. The forbidden forest as Cheryl and Elizabeth's mother always said. They listened to those tales. Stories of people leaving and never coming back or when they did they always had some kind of appalling injury. 

The woods were stunning now. A big nightmare turned into a beautiful daydream. Shades of all sorts of colors brightly showing by all of the bland buildings. The view from her balcony was lovely, but this was exquisite. So many plants and animals flowed through her vision. Elizabeth could stand there and study every single thing she saw insight and never become bored. It was just so different. That was her favorite part. It was fascinatingly unique.

Elizabeth was so deep in thought she never noticed when Jughead called her name so her whole body shook when he tapped her shoulder. She quickly twisted and saw yet another beautiful sight. The young boy's eyes. Elizabeth seemed to be almost obsessed with his ravishing ocean blue eyes. She only knew the storm the eyes held, but she wanted to know the soft, calming waves. The ones that people yearn to be around all the time. That takes all the stress of life and make them flee with a single stroke. 

"We are heading to the Cafeteria now, but if you would like a moment." His voice had not yet matured and still had a higher pitch than his fathers did. Elizabeth imagined he would be very handsome in his older years, but they were only children now. Too young to be thinking about such things. Her mother never thought that. She wanted her to marry The Great Brown family of the west. She just never liked Trevor or at least thought he was a dull dud the first time they met, which had been the last as well. 

"We can go, sorry, this is just such a view to see." Jughead sighed and nodded with Elizabeth. The children both took one last breath and they left the balcony view. 

Cheryl still held onto Elizabeth's arm as they walked through the camp. It was larger than Elizabeth had envisioned. Almost the size of the town Cheryl and she had visited. Jughead and Toni did most of the talking as they walked around. Nothing dazzled her as much as the sight of the forest, but it was still alluring to see a whole new form of the way people live. Everyone was so close. They were all a family. The only person Elizabeth felt this close to was her sister and Cheryl. 

A loud thump hit the ground. Cheryl and Toni quickly moved to a defending position and twisted around. Instead of some threat, the girls saw three boys wrestling on the ground. They began tackling and trying to pin each other. 

"You all are the definition of morons." Toni huffed as she raised her hand to her temple. The boys didn't even seem phased by her words. Jughead was on top of the taller boy as he pinned him to the dirty ground. The other boy quickly jumped on the two. They all had shaky laughs from being out of breath. 

"Well, if these pinheads can't seem to introduce themselves I'll do it. The tall one is Sweetpea and the idiot on top is Fangs." Cheryl said as the three boys were still holding one another to the ground. Another boy came running towards the group. He looked a little like Jughead except for his blazing red hair. He jumped on top of the boys, much like Fangs had. Another fit of tottery laughter out broke from the children. 

"And the moron who just joined is Archibald, but you can call him Archie." The girls soon left the struggling boys to go to their room.

The room was more alive than the one she woke up in. Small trinkets adorned the walls and vanity. There was only one bunk bed that seemed untouched. Elizabeth assumed that was to be hers. 

"Welcome to your new home!" A new voice announced. Elizabeth looked to where the voice came from. A girl around her age stood. She was very well kept, her hair wasn't frizzy like the other three and she seemed to even have a little mascara on. 

"I'm Veronica and your new soul sister." She gave Elizabeth a big hug that the other girls joined. Weren't these people supposed to be mean? Why were they being so kid to the offspring of the man they hated? 

The girls showed Elizabeth her new wardrobe and allowed her to change into some comfortable pants and a light green cloth shirt. She stared at the plain pink dress that rested on the bathroom floor. She was no longer a princess. She was a fighter. Against her own bloodline. 

"Today has been truly something," Elizabeth said as the other girls nodded with small giggles. 

"It's time for dinner! We are having roast beef and Ms.Grundy makes the most delicious food!" The four girls headed out. They laughed and cracked jokes the way there.  Elizabeth didn't even seem to miss her home or her old home. She liked it here. She wanted to know more, yes, but for now, it was comfortable. Her father was always a question to her. The day they went to the village Cheryl told her almost a dozen more were killed. He had secrets and maybe she could help her people, but now she would train with The Serpents. 


	2. Chapter 2

It was the morning of Betty Coopers 14th birthday, and she had woken up just as she had the year of her 13th. Her eyes adjusted to the bright light from the window that was letting in a swift breeze.

Cheryl was already awake and dressed. She was braiding her long unruly hair. Betty slowly raised from her bed and walked towards her cousin. 

"I don't know why you insist to open the window, It will never wake Ronni," Betty said trying to help her cousin find a band to hold the braid. "Besides, the boys always come 20 minutes early and they are an alarm clock of their own." 

"Well, I for one, like to be woken from the beautiful sun and the boys always just wait and stare when I do my hair. They are incredibly annoying." Betty giggled at her comment and nodded. She began to brush her wavy hair. 

"Has Jughead said anything to you?" Betty wondered what her cousin had meant. Did she mean about her birthday or something else? 

"What about? He mentioned that he would help me with my roundhouse kick, but that's all." 

"Oh, Cousin, you are so blind in the matter of the heart." Betty slapped her cousin on the shoulder and left before she could see the red rising in her cheeks. She hopped on her bed and quickly rose to her feet. She grabbed the comforter from veronicas top bunk bed and jumped from the bed with the comforter still in hand. 

"Beeeeeeeeeeeeeettyyyyy!", The three other girls giggled as Veronica jumped from her bed and lunged towards Betty. 

"You can't blame me! The boys are going to be here any minute! I know Archie likes you. I did this honestly for you!" Between her words, loud giggles erupted. Betty used Toni and Cheryl as a shield as Toni threw the comforter into the bathroom. Veronica settled at the mention of her crush. 

"B, you are so damn lucky I love you or else I would've killed you one of these days." 

"How sweet of you, V!" The three girls laughed as Veronica began to tickle Betty into another giggling fit. Soon, they all calmed and got ready briskly. 

_Knock Knock_

"Come in"

5 boys spewed into the already small room. Betty smiled upon seeing all of her closest friends in one room. They were all in their training gear just as the girls were. 

"Happy Birthday, Betty," Jughead said as he walked closer to her. She, of course, tried to hide her blush. He turned around, and she noticed his hand behind his back. He was holding a small velvet box. She quickly grabbed the box and laid it under her pillow. 

All the boys had grown over the past year. Jughead and Archie were now towering over betty compared to when they were once the same height. Fangs and Kevin were still the shortest of the 5 boys but had grown above the girls in their friendship group. Sweetpea has grown even higher than he once was and was now F.P's height. The girl's, changes were not as noticeable considering their training gear often covered their chests. 

"Uncle F.P has called for an emergency meeting in the central room." The children all headed out of the girl's common rooms and headed to the same place as everyone else was. 

\- - - -

"The king has executed twenty more of our men in the last 3 months." Murmurs and gasps spread in the crowded room. Betty's eyes were now glued to F.P. 

"We are sending a group out to send a message. You must be over three years of experience. We cannot let the King keep his reign if he is going to kill innocent people." Betty gasped. This was her father. She looked around at the outraged people. No one was staring at her. This was her father. She was the product of the man that nearly every person in here hated. Did she hate her father? Her breathing became strained as F.P carried on with his speech. 

"Please, Serpents! We need a voice. To show we will not keep taking this. My son, niece, and I will go and fight alongside you." That's when all of the breath was taken from Betty Cooper. She looked to her right. Jughead was already looking at her. His beautiful eyes pleading her for something. Betty began to leave the room. Knocking into people as she was nearly suffocating in the overcrowded room. 

Her eyes searched for the exit as she began tripping to the ground. She needed to leave. To get out of that room. Jughead? Her Jughead? The boy that gave her the name everyone calls her. She was so close to the exit. Soon her hand was on the handle and she was running to the oak tree by her common room. She flung herself on it as she was gasping for breath. Her Jughead was leaving soon. 

_Elizabeth couldn't sleep. It had been like this for the past week. Guilt and betrayal were now all she could feel. She had left her family for people who were against them. She betrayed her mother. She betrayed her father. She betrayed the entire life she had grown up with. Everything and everyone. Tears stained her eyes and cheeks._

_She couldn't imagine how she looked. Sleepless eyes shot with the after-work of long cries. Her hair was undoubtedly a mess from tossing and turning. She had more bruises and cuts than normal due to her performing much less than her A-game._

_She stared out at the forest she loved so much. The full moon casting more shadows around the already eerie base. Another shadow was cast on the walkway of the common rooms. Elizabeth turned to find Jughead. Suddenly she felt insecurity flare-up in her chest._

_"Hey Betty, Early riser too?" She didn't quite focus on his joke rather than the name he had called her._

_"Betty?"_

_"Sorry, it's...uh easier than saying Elizabeth."_

_"No, I like it. Much less princess-like."_

_He sighed from the awkward situation and quickly scratched the back of his neck and Elizabeth swore she saw him blush before he turned towards the forest._

_"Typically I am an early riser, but it's been a tough night so I got up three hours early." He dropped a small laugh._

_"I better go and I suggest you as well. We have a surprise test to see if we've learned all the skills from the past week." Elizabeth turned to him. She didn't know what came over her, but she hugged him. He was warm and smelled of pine and the summer breeze._

_"Thank you, Jug."_

_"For what?"_

_"Just distracting me and being a good friend." Before she released her hold on the boy he leaned closer to her ear. Suddenly her body was stiff. She felt a million butterflies in her stomach and her cheeks getting hotter by the second._

_"About the name thing, I think Betty is much more warrior-like, badass as some would say." Betty smiled at the comment. The smile feeling far from how she has felt the past few days. She gently kisses his cheek. When he pulls away the two are blushing the color of tomatoes and smile awkwardly at one another. Jughead turns and walks to his room._

_"Night Juggie,"_

_"Good Night Betty."_

Tears ran down her cheeks. Betty didn't seem to realize everything she was holding until now. Whenever someone mentioned her dad she just tried to focus on the tactics or something other than the actual man himself, but now? The boy who she might love more than a best friend kind of way was going against him. He could die. She dug her head into her knees. Who was the 'he' she was even referencing? Was she scared of her father or Jughead getting hurt? She felt a hand on her back slowly drawing circles. 

She raised her head afraid if Jughead had followed her out of the meeting. Instead, she was met with another face of someone she loved. 

"Hey Cousin, I see you are also sad about the people who are going." Cheryl's words were soft. The way a mother would to a crying child. Cheryl was so welcoming to the idea of who their fathers were. 

"Cousin, did you ever feel as if you were betraying our family?" Cheryl looked away from Betty's face. She noticed that Cheryl as well had some tears falling down her face. Was it about her father or someone else close to them leaving? The only people who have been here longer than 3 years that they were close too would be Jughead and Toni. Toni is F.P's niece. She was leaving with Jughead and F.P.

"I felt that way, but Betty, our family they've done bad things. Horrid things. Our mothers and fathers may have been kind to us, but they basically sold Polly away. And for what? An alliance? Mother was searching for a husband for me and I just had to get out. I knew your mother would do the same so when the Serpents let me join I asked them to get you. You're the only person I know who would never turn on me." Betty and Cheryl were now holding one another as if they would never see the other again. Tears falling down their cheeks once again. 

"I never noticed your discomfort, but Cher, is there a specific reason you never wanted a husband? I mean I never did either, but...You can tell me anything, but if you need some time to figure things out." Cheryl raised her head from the crook of Betty's neck. Her eyes were full of sorrow. The normally vibrant chocolate eyes betty loved so, were now replaced with two empty orbs. 

"Please, Beth, never repeat this, but I... I think I love women the way I should men." Her words became much deeper and slower as the sentence came out. Betty lifted her cousin's chin with her hand. Her deep eyes stared back into Betty's. 

"I love you, Cher. I will take your secret with me to the grave." She gave the girl her biggest hug inside of her. The two held each other until people began to come spilling out of the Central Room. 

The two girls began to try and brush away their tears. Veronica and Kevin came walking up to the two. 

"Hey, guys, our...um schedules have changed. We have to wake up an hour earlier. Sigh, this place is going to kill me." Veronica said as she laid on the girls as if they were a bed. They began to giggle as Kevin tried to join. 

_\- - - -_

That night Betty felt she could hardly sleep. Jughead and many more were leaving tomorrow. The four girls could hardly sleep but had all said they should try. Betty laid her head down onto her pillow where she felt a small bump. Jugheads gift!

She pulled the box from under her pillow into her rough hands. She walked into their joined bathroom and closed the door. She sat down on the floor and opened the box quickly. She hadn't felt this happy to open a present since she was 9. The red velvet box was smooth in her calloused hands. It was the closest thing to her old life since she joined The Serpents. 

A beautiful golden chain rested in the box. At the end of the chain was a matching golden crown with the word "warrior" engraved. 

" _I think Betty is much more warrior-like,"_ Betty smiled at the necklace. It was beautiful and could easily hide under her training shirts. She lifted the necklace to see it in the light when she saw a small piece of paper lying at the bottom of the box. She placed the necklace back in the box and grabbed the note. 

_Happy Birthday, Betty._

_I hope this finds you with a happy smile on your face._

_I hope you are reading this before I leave._

_Please meet me at the same place as always._

_Love, Jughead._

Betty smiled at the note and faintly left the bathroom. She escaped the room and went out to the walkway. The bright moon was shining just enough light so she could see the person who was waiting for her. He looked a lot like a boy right now. His smile seemed happy upon her arrival, but his eyes screamed fear. Was he forced to go? Did his father give him no choice? Did Toni have the same restrictions? If everyone else had a choice why did his blood have to be forced to go and wager their lives? 

"Hey Betts, thanks for coming. We're leaving at dawn and I just... Couldn't leave my best friend without saying bye." Betty looked into his scared eyes. She couldn't handle all of the emotions she has felt today. Jughead was only 15 and Toni just turned 14. Who else was going? She remembered Fangs saying his father signed up so he was going to as well. He was one of her friends. This wasn't right. They could all die. She knew her father wasn't a very merciless man. Even towards children. 

"I bet Archie will be pretty sad I'm your best friend and not him." He chuckled at her joke as they both stared at the forest. 

"Well he's my best guy-friend and you're my best girlfriend. Or um girl who's my friend...I, uh, you know what I mean." Betty felt the same heat rise to her cheeks as she laughed at Jugheads awkwardness. She watched as he lifted his hand towards the back of his neck as he always did when they acted weird around one another. 

"You're my best boyfriend too," Betty said quietly as the two awkwardly laughed. Jughead lightly punched Betty on the shoulder. The two began play fighting and having fun before one of the two would have to go fight. 

"Betts...What if I don't come back?" Betty looked at the once playful boy. 

"Jug. You _are_ coming back. I know it." He looked at her with the same sad eyes he had before. He leaned for what Betty thought was a hug but was met with his lips on hers. They were softer than she imagined. He swiftly stepped back afterward. 

"I'm sorry, I just in case, you know?" 

"Yeah...Totally, but Jughead please try to come back." 

"Whatever you want, Betty." 

She soon headed back into her room. She put her necklace on and drifted over to her bed. Jughead kissed her. Her first kiss. And now he was going on a mission where he could die. She tossed and turned in her head and the bed. Her father was going to oppose the boy who she just shared a kiss with and as bad as she felt for it she prayed Jughead would be the one to stay alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)


	3. Chapter 3

It was a week since Bettys 15th birthday and she was now one of the most wanted people of her old kingdom. Of course, it was very hush-hush as all things were that her father did, but they heard word from their spies on the northside of the kingdom. Betty didn't know how she felt about it. Her family had proclaimed her dead upon the first year and a half of her disappearance, but now they suddenly care? 

This was her family after all. They gave up on Cheryl and now they have given up on her. Was she only an alliance as Cheryl had said? She was the heir to the throne. Or at least she thought she was. Everything seemed so wrong. Her father wasn't the kind to just drop something. What was her family doing? 

The law her father was setting began to get worse and worse. Famine was now spreading. Due to the new drought, food was becoming scarce and the restrictions on food in the village were insane. Betty was blessed that The Serpents had many storages filled with food. It was just so horrid to imagine people starving and begging for food. All of them. They were stealing and breaking so many laws and at the end they received death. Maybe that's why they did it. 

As much as Betty wished she didn't, she couldn't get rid of the thought of her family just forgetting her. They were her family. Well, old family. Her mother loved her or so she thought. Did they just let her go? Maybe she was just another complication. Her mother could no longer bear children and she wasn't a son. They only looked for her for a year. A year! She was 15 now! She joined The Serpents when she was 13.

She had another family now. They loved her and cared for her. She just couldn't shake her families chains off her. Maybe she could have helped with everything. F.P says that she is a huge step in helping The Serpents to take over the kingdom. She will go into battle soon, but she felt she had been fighting herself since she joined The Serpents. 

Betty had certainly grown since she was a princess. She could now defend herself and fight people. Along with that, she had grown away from the old princess life she had known as a child. She hadn't felt a silk dress since she had come here. The only jewelry she owned was the necklace Jughead had given to her. She was very far from where she had once been. 

\- - - -

The children were all at their training center and Betty was currently fuming. She was staring at Jughead and some other girl sparring. She didn't even have that good technique. She kept slipping and throwing herself at Jughead. Betty could hardly even focus as she spared with Veronica. 

"B! Are you just having a bad morning? I don't usually win this much against you." Betty shook the daze out of her head. 

"I'm fine." She gritted out as she watched the redhead get dangerously close to Jughead again. 

"Oh, I see what has you on edge. It's that girl, Ethel Muggs, right?" Betty ignored her friend's words as she continued to look at Ethel and Jughead. She was pretty. More than she wanted to admit. Beautiful red curls that went down to her shoulders. She had a nice smile and pretty brown eyes. She was around Jugheads age and all Betty wanted to do was pin her to the ground. Is this what jealousy felt like? 

"V, I'm fine. How are things with Archie going?" Betty wanted to distract herself from the annoying redhead. Her and Veronica resumed their sparing practice. Veronica took a long sigh before she answered Betty's question. 

"I would say they're okay. He still hasn't _officially_ asked me out, but that's only a matter of time."

"I don't know Ronni, he seems pretty lost when it comes to anything related to romance."

"He's lost in most situations." 

\- - - -

Cheryl couldn't stop staring at her. She was just throwing herself at him. The worst part was that he was very clearly not into her. Cheryl wished that she was Jughead. Wished that Ethel would show her affections to Cheryl and not Jughead. Jughead had no interest in Ethel. So why did Ethel insist on flirting with him? If Cheryl were Jughead she would return her affections, but she couldn't. She wasn't Jughead. She wasn't what Ethel wanted. 

"Cher, are you ok?" Cheryl looked up towards Toni. Her eyes were full of worry as they were looking down at Cheryl. Cheryl wanted to lie. Say that she was fine and leave to go spar like Veronica and Betty. 

"No. How can Ethel just flirt with Jughead even when he's whipped for Betty?" Toni sat down next to Cheryl. Cheryl looked back down towards her hands. She was taking longer to put her gear on. She gently laid her gloves on and when she looked up she met Toni's eyes.

"Some people just don't notice what's right in front of them." 

They both joined the rest of the kids and began to spar. Practicing their kicking and punching techniques. Once they turn 16 they can begin training with actual weapons. Some of the kids bragged they had already used them. Toni, Fangs, and Jughead had already used them. When they went off on the mission with F.P. Toni commented on how it wasn't as cool as expected, but still, the kids couldn't wait until their weapons classes commenced. Only one more year. 

  


The only reason Cheryl was excited about it was that it was another thing that separated her from her old life. Her mother would be appalled at the thought of her daughter handling weapons. Cheryl loved the feeling. The feeling of being free. The feeling of her body moving and fighting. Betty seemed to feel guilty for leaving their bloodline, but Cheryl never felt that way. 

The Cooper and Blossoms were a ruthless bloodline. They were known as one of the most merciless kingdoms. Cheryl and Betty were only blinded from their families gory truths. Child innocence tried to grasp the small girls for as long as possible. But reputations are a sacred thing that Cheryl and Betty couldn't escape. Or at least Cheryl thought that. 

  


She met Toni and Jughead in the village. They were just talking as most children do. She learned the horrors of her family. That they weren't who she believed them to be. She also learned of The Serpents. She began to sneak out as much as she could to learn what all was happening. 

_"Cheryl, we need to know if you are willing to join the Serpents." Cheryl looked at the older man. It was now or never. What was holding her back? Her family was nothing but a big lie. They only wanted her for alliances. Beth. What about Elizabeth?_

_"Can I please go get my cousin? She doesn't know what has been happening in the town. She is blinded just as I was. I need her." Cheryl was pleading F.P. She looked around the room. Toni and Jughead were looking at the ground._

_"Cheryl-"_

_"Please! Just let me reason with her! She is smart enough to know that our family is not good people." Cheryl looked desperately around the room. Trying to find someone she could lock eyes with and get them to agree with her. They must have known her tactic because everyone's eyes were glued to the floor. She just needed her cousin to be safe._

_"We could get her. In a few months. We need to lay low." Yes! Her cousin was going to be safe! She just needed to tell her and then it would be ok. They were escaping. Cheryl was on the verge of tears. Too many emotions for an already fragile teenager._

_"We need to go now if we want to make it to the base by sundown." Now? No. She had to go tell Beth about her leaving and that she would come back to her. She had to see her one last time before her leaving._

_"Could I see her one last time?"_

_"No. You will see her again, but not today." Cheryl felt her heart ripped from her chest. She will see her again. That is what she will live by from then on. She was going to see the only person she loved again._

_Leaving wasn't as hard as she believed it would be. She wore a cloak to cover her face and they were out in a snap. Emotionally it was the worst moment in her life._

_This was good. She couldn't be a part of that heinous family anymore. She would see Beth again. She knew it. The only problem would be convincing her. Cheryl hopped her cousin would want to come. Hoped she would want to join Cheryl and The Serpents._

\- - - -

That night the 4 girls were awoken to a loud banging on their door. The boys entered the room. All wearing what they had been sleeping in. 

"What time is it? Why the hell are you in here!" Veronica very angrily asked. The girls all arose from their beds in a panic. 

"A guard from the royal kingdom is here." Betty and Cheryl quickly looked at one another from across the room. The base was in the middle of the forbidden forest. Was her father searching for her and Cheryl? Why must it be all hush-hush? They acted as if she had passed from illness and now they were searching for her? Perhaps this was for a different matter. Maybe they had forgotten her entirely. 

"Let's go! There's no time to be standing around here." The kids all headed out. Why were they the ones chosen to go see the knight? They weren't the youngest at the base, but they were not the most skilled. 

They rushed to the central room. No one else was coming. The only light was supplied from the moon. The central room wasn't as big as usual. Betty assumed it was from the lack of people. It was only her and the rest of her friends. Where were F.P and the rest of their leaders? Where was the knight? 

Her questions were soon answered when F.P and an older woman by the name of Penny dragged a boy in. He was the knight! His clothes were caked in dirt and blood.

They shoved him in a chair and quickly tied him up. 

Jughead was by her side and all she wanted to do was lean into him and never leave. Her father was planning something. Betty knew this. Her hand reached out and quickly grabbed for Cheryl. She wanted her cousin close for the blow.

Despite the dirt and grime, he was quite attractive. Big blue eyes and slicked black hair. Not as beautiful as Jughead, or at least Betty thought that. Then his eyes met hers. They were filled with anger and a little fear. 

“You traders! Both of you!” He began to strain to get out of the chair as he screamed. I held Cheryl’s hand tighter as he stared into ur eyes. I wasn’t prepared for this. I’m not okay. I want to be anywhere else. 

“You back-stabbing bitches!” Jughead growled under his breath at the boy's comment. He walked up to the knight and punched him. I heard something pop and hoped Jughead had broken nothing. 

“They are all around! You can't escape!” His words made no sense. Was he missing part of his speech due to the blood leaving his mouth? 

“Who are all around?” F.P asked. We all needed to know. What was the guy talking about? 

And once again our questions were answered. The sirens from my old kingdom began to sing. Attack. We were surrounded. Screams filled the air. The Knight began to laugh at all of the chaos. A song so horrid I knew I could never forget. 

The siren singing with laughter so heinous that the screams almost seemed simple.

The song of death was now playing. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for not updating, school hit me like a truck, lol. Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

The air was biting my skin as the snow began to fall again. The smooth crystal lake was glimmering under the thin ice. I looked around at the small camp. I shook my head and walked quickly to the tent to find some warmth. 

Today was Betty’s 16th birthday and she couldn’t even get out of bed. Toni quickly tossed a blanket over her shivering body. That was her only wish on her birthday. To remain in bed and skip training. Toni wanted to join in her sorrows. Ever since the attack and Jugheads disappearance, everything has just seemed harder. 

I missed him a lot. He was a brother to me. _He was my brother._ F.P nearly stopped everyone from getting away to find him. I wanted to join him. Find the boy who meant so much to me. I looked at Betty. She’s been taking it the hardest. Constantly blaming herself. She was the last one to see him. I wish I could see him. 

Even if it was for one tiny moment. To say he was my best friend and the best brother I could ever have had the chance to have. To hear his voice one _more time._

I left the sorrow-filled tent and back out to the cold. When we left the base, we only took what we could carry. Many were wounded or already dead. Some refused to leave without their loved ones. I couldn’t blame them. I didn’t want to leave either. 

We walked as long as we could. Soon appearing at Sweetwater River. We created a new camp and tried to go on with life as normal. 

But we can’t go on with life. My brother is missing. Our friends and family have died. It’s been a year, but a wound won’t heal if it reopens.

“Hey TT! Come over here!” I followed Cheryl’s urgent voice. F.P and Archie were with her and in her hand stood a slip of paper. 

“It’s Jughead. He’s sent us a letter.” My body freezes. Jughead is alive. He’s sent us a letter. How did he know where we are? Who cares, I’ll see my brother again!

F.P hands me the letter. It’s covered in dirt and there spots of red that I pray aren’t blood. I look at his signature. Jughead Jones.

_I’m alive. The king had taken me for many months. He wanted information, of which, I gave him none. He did not like that. I planned my escape with each passing thought and each long night. A man told me where you may be. I hope this finds you all alive and in good health. I am in a small town trying to get to you all. I love you Teeny. Love you, Poppa. Love you, Betts. I love you all. I will see you all again._

My eyes were wet and streaking tears down my face. Teeny. He hadn’t called me that since we were much younger. I missed those days. When we had no worries besides food. Jughead would always make sure we had food at home for dinner. Jughead was always my saving grace. He was coming back. My big brother was coming back.

Cheryl came closer to me. In all my happiness I grabbed her and gave her a big hug. When I released my grip she looked me in the eyes. I wanted to kiss her lips. To cry out in happiness. Sing a song of my love and earnest happiness of this day. But she didn’t like me. At least Juggie was coming back. 

I needed to tell Betty! I ran towards my tent. Just as our old room was, I shared it with 3 other girls. Betty was still laying on the bed, but she seemed a little awake. 

“Betty! Oh, Betty! Jughead is alive! He sent us a letter!” Her eyes grew in size as I sat on the cot. Her eyes were puffy and her skin a bit paler. She seemed to get worse as each month passed with no word from Jughead. I hope this will help her. I handed her the letter and her eyes darted across the page. 

Her eyes filled with tears. Much as mine did. She leaned into me and gave me a heartwarming hug. 

“I thought I was never going to see him.” Her very dainty voice spoke. I could barely hear it. I leaned into her as well. Sheltering her from the cold air. 

“I was scared too.” 

_The screaming filled the air. How did they find us? Did someone leak information?_

_We all left the room to go fight. The cackling from the knight followed us out. There were hundreds of them. All adorning the king's crest._

_“Go! Get supplies and fight!”_

_We did as F.P told us. I ran to the weapons room and found a dead body on the ground while I was leaving. Dilton. I hadn’t known him well. It hurt me that my only memory of him would be his dead body. I pushed my empathy back and left the blood oozing boy._

_Everything went like a blur. I remember fighting and stabbing a man. I refused to look back if their breathing stopped. I couldn’t afford to have more on my conscious._

_I fought until I couldn’t find any more knights. Bodies covered the ground. Our people and the knights. I needed to find my family._

_I began searching for the camp. Where was everyone?_

_I heard some grumbling from behind me. I gripped the sword a little tighter and turned._

_Sweet pea held a weeping Veronica. She kept murmuring. I couldn’t decipher what she was saying. Bloodstained the boy's clothes._

_“Archie got shot by an arrow. He saved Ronni.” She seemed to cry harder from his words. She slowly lifted herself._

_I was scared of what she may do. Was she going to scream or get the attention of the others? Was she going to join Archie?_

_“We must find Betty and Kevin.” Her voice was barely audible. She was shaking violently. Sweetpea helped her walk to the extra rations room. We grabbed bags full of supplies and set off to find the others._

_Fangs joined us halfway through. His father was wounded like Sweetpea. We made sure to get extra medical supplies._

_All around were bodies and blood. I wanted to cry. Where were F.P and Jughead? Where was Cheryl? I prayed that they didn’t have the same fate as Archie._

_I had killed a man tonight. He had dark brown eyes and sandy blonde hair. He was a little younger than F.P. He had a family. He had people who wished the same things I wished for Jughead. Was I a monster? I killed someone. I heard him plead and beg to live. He was the enemy, but was he truly?_

_They say The Serpents are the enemy. He wanted to kill me. Or maybe if I begged he would spare me._

_I wanted to cry. Cry like a little girl. Cuddle with my mom and have it all go away. I wanted to be someone else._

_We found Cheryl and Betty. Betty couldn’t talk, much like Veronica. She had blood dripping from her blonde head and bloodshot eyes. She looked at me strangely when we first arrived. I couldn't quite decide what kind of look it was. I thought it may have been about Jughead. I was terrified that he was dead, but we couldn’t search._

_We found F.P. We found many others. Some alive, others dead, many injured. We never found Juggie. Kevin tried to urge Betty to calm down. But she kept crying and blaming herself. Cheryl held my shaking body upon hearing we couldn’t go search for Juggie._

_I wanted to kill F.P at that moment. He was his son! My brother! He may be alive! But he just said we had to do it for the others. We had to move to a new location._

_So when the sun rose. We were on a hill. I looked back and saw a dead base. Home destroyed and death all around. That’s when I let myself cry._

\- - -

Betty felt physically and emotionally drained. The past year seemed to only get harder as time passed. Her love was gone. But now. Now he is alive.

What had her father done to him? She was just happy he was alive. She was sure his death was in her hands. She let go of his hand and death grabbed on. 

He is alive. How? Wouldn’t her father kill him for being a serpent? Months in the palace and he was alive? 

The love of her life. The other part of her soul was alive. She felt whole again. 

_His eyes were filled with hatred. He tightened his grip on the knife. Betty wanted to scream, but how would that help? He had taken her bow and arrow. She had nothing to save herself. She had lost._

_“You trader! For the king!” He held his knife in the air. Betty closed her eyes. Expecting a sharp pain and later death._

_It never came. I heard a loud thump and opened my eyes. Jughead! Jughead pinned the man to the ground and knocked him out._

_He then looked at me. His eyes were full of worry and urgency. His arms were soon wrapped around me._

_“Betts, I was so scared that he might’ve killed you!” He kissed me on the lips. I kissed him back. My hands finding his hair. His soft, dark, locks. We only stopped when we needed a breath._

_“I love you, Betty.”_

_She looked at his beautiful eyes. The calming ocean she always loved to see._

_“I love you Jughead.”_

_Something dark was behind him and before she could say anything the figure grabbed Jughead. A pair of hands had grabbed her arms and clamped her mouth._

_Jughead looked at her with worry, just as he had earlier._

_“Look what we got, Arthur. The king will be pleased.” The two men smirked at one another. Did they not recognize Betty in the dark light? Had she changed more than she thought?_

_“Leave the girl. Take me.” Why was Jughead doing this! She began to twist and turn to loosen the man's grip, but he wouldn’t let go._

_“And why would we do that? You love her?” They both laughed at Jughead. I wanted to say something. Anything that would get Jughead free. Maybe if I admitted to being their princess. I just needed to speak._

_“I’m the son of the leader of The Serpents. The band of men your king wants.” The two men seemed intrigued by Jugheads offer. I twisted even more._

_“The girl is a lonely orphan. She will do you no good.” Juggie! Please let me speak. Don’t leave me! Please._

_The man's grip loosened and I took the opportunity._

_“No! Don’t listen to him! He-“_

_The man who was earlier holding me threw me to the ground. My head hit a sharp object and everything began to grow dark._

_Jughead. They held him tight. Why was he with them again? Juggie. They were taking him! He was my love!_

_I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t move. I watched their bodies disappear into the night. My eyes growing heavy. Juggie. Don’t leave._

_I could have done something. He could die. Those men could kill him. Her father could kill him. The love of her life. Was walking towards deaths gates._

_She let him go. She let him die. It was all her fault. It was all her fault. Fault. Juggie._

_Everything went dark._

_\- - -_

Jughead felt awful. Everything in his body felt that it had been turned inside out and then tied in a knot. He refused to stop. He wasn't going back to the Kingdom. The dungeons would haunt his memories for the rest of his life. He didn't understand how Betty and Cheryl lived there. He was tortured constantly for not telling the King about The Serpents. 

He owed a man his life. He didn’t know his name, but he remembered his earnest eyes. The man was old enough to be Jugheads grandfather, but he was an enemy of the King. He helped Jughead leave the Kingdom. Gave him his savings hidden under a brick in the dark cell and a message to his family. 

Jughead happily gave the message. The man even told him where he might find Toni and his father. He was killed the day after Jughead left. His eyes haunted Jugheads dreams. 

Jughead was coming home. To his family. To his brothers and sisters. To Betty. 

He suddenly couldn’t feel all the pain. Memories and imagination carried him. The look on his father's face. He sent a letter to him through the old post in Greendale, knowing that was where is father checked every day. He hoped they got his letter. He hoped they were all still alive. 

_The screaming was horrendous. The man was in clear pain, but he just wouldn't pass. Jughead could barely handle it. Thoughts of home and Betty were the only things keeping him alive, but this man just screamed DEATH._

_The earnest eyed-man walked towards the screaming man. His bones creaked as he squatted down to him._

_“Hush Hush, you will be in a better place soon.” His voice was smooth despite the lack of water and food. The screaming lessened as the older man told stories of his wife and children during Halford the 1st rule. He told stories of how peaceful it was._

_The screaming soon stopped along with his breathing. Jughead tried to huddle into a corner despite his sore muscles. More knights were going to question him tomorrow. They were going to threaten his food supply or hit him._

_He didn't care. He heard no reports of his family being hurt. Nothing of Sweetpea or Fangs dying. His Betty was still alive. This offered no reassurance. Because Jughead knew, that as soon as they threatened someone he loved, he would do anything to save them._

_However, For now, King Halford had nothing Jughead wanted._

_He tried to close his eyes and imagine a happy scene._

_One where he is with all of his friends. Everyone is safe. There is no war or mutiny towards the king. There is no king. A small child runs around with bright blue eyes and blonde curls. He hugs his sister in one arm and his love in the other. His best friends are all there. Even the Earnest man and his family._

_Jughead wishes this were true. Instead, he hears the sound of the guards dragging the dead man's body away. He doesn’t see everyone. They all seem to slip away like fog as the day drains on. He is alone again. In a shivering cell. Surrounded by melancholy._

The sun begins to rise on a new day as he arrives by the hill that marks Sweetwater River. After months of hardship, he was finally home again. He looked up toward the sky and gave a gentle wave to his brother who he wished he could see once he arrived at the camp. He kept walking. The tents growing bigger with each step. Noises growing more recognizable. He did it. Jughead found his family again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many flashbacks!  
> Hope you enjoyed!  
> :)  
> <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I hope you enjoyed what you just read and I would like to thank you for taking the time to read that and now this! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos would be appreciated, but you don't have to. 
> 
> If you want to request anything, please do so! 
> 
> Have a great day and thanks once again!
> 
> A few things I would like to address:   
> \- Toni is Jugs cousin  
> \- Every chapter will be on Bettys b-day until 5 years pass  
> \- Betty will soon be called Betty lol  
> \- Jason is not in this  
> \- Polly married and moved away from the Kingdom  
> \- Cheryl and Betty share her kingdom
> 
> Any other questions, please ask


End file.
